Table construction

ABSTRACT

A table having two foldable leg elements, one of which frictionally slides against the underside of the table top on spaced glide-straps, between folded and erect positions.

United States Patent Marshall T. Bedol Shaker Heights, Ohio 787,777

Dec. 30, 1968 Feb. 23, 1971 Marshallan Products, Inc. Cleveland, Ohio a corporation of Ohio Inventor Appl. N 0. Filed Patented Assignee TABLE CONSTRUCTION 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 108/120 Int. Cl A47b 3/02 Field of Search 108/1 15- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 200,291 2/1878 Hart 108/1 21X 2,288,737 7/1'942 Page 108/120 2,540,875 2/1951 Grenge 108/120 2,666,682 l/l954 McCormick 108/120 2,947,588 8/1960 Friedenreich 108/120 3,031,243 4/1962 Crenoi 108/120 3,141,425 7/1964 Duer 108/120 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel Assistant Examiner-Glenn O. Finch Attorney-Sanford Schnurmacher ABSTRACT: A table having two foldable leg elements, one of which frictionally slides against the underside of the table top on spaced glide-straps, between folded and erect positions.

PATENTEDFEB23197I 3.665019 INVENTOR. MARSHALL T. BEDOL ATTORNEW and,

1 TABLE CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to folding tables and more particularly to that type of folding table in which the legs are arranged in pairs and pivoted with respect to'each other intermediate their ends.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved folding table of the type indicated in which the legs and connecting means by which they are associated with a table top can be readily and conveniently folded to extend in a common plane substantially parallel with and closely adjacent the table top so that the table, when folded, will occupy the minimum amount of space for storage purposes.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a table of the type indicated in which the mechanical operation of folding and unfolding the legs with respect to the top can be performed with the minimum exercise and attention on the part of the operator.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrange-' ment and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification, as part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout. In the drawings: I

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the table in its erected position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table in its folded condition, with the top side faced downwardly;

FIG.-3 is a cross-sectional view of the erect table, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the folded table taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the glide-straps, in its unmounted condition. Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is seen the foldable table construction, that is the subject of this invention, broadly'indicated by reference numeral 10, as it appears in its erect or unfolded condition.

The table top, broadly indicated by reference numeral 11, may have any desired shape, and is here shown as being circular in configuration. It is fabricated of light gauge sheet material such as fiber, composition board, plasticor metal, attractively painted, enameled, or otherwise'decorated. Y

The top 11 has a flat undersurface 12, extending in a single plane, bounded by a stiffening peripheral rim. v

Reference numeral 13 indicates two spaced and parallel, slightly resilient, sheet metal glide-straps which extend crosswise of the undersurface 12 of the table top 11, as seen in FIG. 2.

Each glide-strap 13 has a'flat central section 18, as is seen most clearly in FIG. 3, which is spaced downwardly of the table top undersurface 12 a distance less than the diameter of the horizontal top portions 21 and 2 2 of the U shaped tubular support members 19 and 20, respectively, to be described hereinafter.

Each glide-strap 13 hasfirst and second terminal sockets 15 and 17, respectively, formed integral therewith, and spaced downwardly of the table top undersurface 12 a distance not less than the diameters of the horizontal top portions 21 and 22 of the aforementioned supports 19 and 20.

The so formed glide-straps are anchored to the undersurface 12 of the table top 11 by means of terminal tabs 14, as again seen in FIG. 3, to provide a frictional glide path the length thereof between their first and second terminal sockets 15 and 17, respectively. p

The support members 19 and 20 are U shaped in configuration and are preferably made of round metal rod or tubing.

The sides, or dependent leg portions, of the support members are connected through pivot studs 23.-

Referenee numeral 16 indicates a finger struck inwardly of each first socket 15, which retains the horizontal top portion 1 of the support member 19, in the socket l5, and acts as a journaled pivot point joining the member 19 to the undersurface l2 of the table top 11. The so held element 21 is nested in the sockets 15 for rotation against the fingers 16 and the surface 12, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The horizontal top portion 22 of the support member 20 is slidable the length of the glide-straps 13 in frictional engagement therewith and the undersurface 12 of the top 11, between a, first, erect position, as seen in FIG. 3, wherein it is nested in second sockets l7, and a, second, folded position, wherein it is nested in the first sockets 15, adjacent the horizontal top portion 21 of the support member 19, as is seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4.

When the horizontal top portion 22 of support member 20 is in its second, or folded, position the support members 19 and 20 are aligned with each other in a plane parallel to, and against, the undersurface 12 of the table top 11, as is seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4. In its folded condition the unit occupies a minimal space, for convenient storage.

. When in its first, or erected condition, the frictional drag that must be overcome to move the horizontal portion 22 of support'member 20 out of sockets 17 and back along the glide-straps l3, acts to maintain the horizontal portion 22 in .the sockets 17 and prevents its unintentional removal therefrom, even though the table be lifted off the ground by grasping the top 11.

No latches, pins, keys or similar retaining means are required.-

While the structure has been illustrated and described as being a table, it is to be understood that any structure having a flat undersurface 12, engaged as described by the support members 19 and 20, could be substituted therefor, such as a conventional barbecue unit having a flat bottomed fuel container with a grill spaced upwardly therefrom.

Iclaim:

l. A table construction, comprising in combination;

a. a rigid sheet material table top, having b. a flat undersurface extending in a single plane;

c. two spaced and parallel, slightly resilient, sheet material glide-straps mounted crosswise of the top undersurface;

d. each glide-strap having a flat central portion and first and second terminal sockets at the opposite ends thereof, formed integral therewith;

e. a pair of U" -shaped tubular support members, having their respective sides pivotally connected, intermediate their ends, with their horizontal top portions slidably mounted across the glide-straps, immediately beneath the table top undersurface;

f; the flat central portion of each glide-strap being spaced downwardly of the undersurface of the table top a distance less than the diameters of the engaged horizontal top portions of the support members;

g. the first and second glide-strap sockets being spaced downwardly of the undersurface of the table top a distance not less than the diameters of the support member horizontal top portions;

. retaining means struck upwardly of the glide-strap first sockets, engaged with one of the support members at its horizontal top portion, to retain said first support member in the first socket for swinging movement about an axis fixed with respect to the glide-straps central portions;

i. the horizontal top portion of the second support member being pivotable about an axis slidable lengthwise of the glide-straps, in simultaneous frictional contact with both the glide-strap central portions and the undersurface of the table top, between a first position, nested in the second sockets, to lock the table in its erect condition;

and a second position, nested in the first sockets, adjacent the horizontal top portion of the first support em member, wherein the table is in its folded condition, with the sides of both support members in a plane parallel to the undersurface of the table top. 

1. A table construction, comprising in combination; a. a rigid sheet material table top, having b. a flat undersurface extending in a single plane; c. two spaced and parallel, slightly resilient, sheet material glide-straps mounted crosswise of the top undersurface; d. each glide-strap having a flat central portion and first and second terminal sockets at the opposite ends thereof, formed integral therewith; e. a pair of ''''U'''' -shaped tubular support members, having their respective sides pivotally connected, intermediate their ends, with their horizontal top portions slidably mounted across the glide-straps, immediately beneath the table top undersurface; f. the flat central portion of each glide-strap being spaced downwardly of the undersurface of the table top a distance less than the diameters of the engaged horizontal top portions of the support members; g. the first and second glide-strap sockets being spaced downwardly of the undersurface of the table top a distance not less than the diameters of the support member horizontal top portions; h. retaining means struck upwardly of the glide-strap first sockets, engaged with one of the support members at its horizontal top portion, to retain said first support member in the first socket for swinging movement about an axis fixed with respect to the glide-straps central portions; i. the horizontal top portion of the second support member being pivotable about an axis slidable lengthwise of the glidestraps, in simultaneous frictional contact with both the glidestrap central portions and the undersurface of the table top, between a first position, nested in the second sockets, to lock the table in its erect condition; and a second position, nested in the first sockets, adjacent the horizontal top portion of the first support em member, wherein the table is in its folded condition, with the sides of both support members in a plane parallel to the undersurface of the table top. 